In Fame's Shadow
by ScoobySnacks3
Summary: Did you ever wonder what happened to the children of Harry Potter? Was Albus chosen to be a Gryffindor? Did James live up to his father's troublesome past? How did Lily deal with being left behind while her brothers made themselves known? This story covers the next generation of J.K. Rowling's genius book series.
1. Characters

**Characters**

**(2nd Generation)**

**Potter Family:**

Harry James Potter- no explanation needed (NEN)

Ginny Potter (Weasley)- NEN

James Sirius Potter- ruffled red-brown hair, hazel eyes, glasses (2nd year)

Albus Severus Potter- straight black hair, freckles, green eyes (1st year)

Lily Luna Potter- bright red hair, freckles, hazel eyes (Not yet attending Hogwarts)

Teddy Lupin- metamorphmagus, typically has green hair, and gray eyes (7th year)

**Weasley Family:**

Bill Weasley- NEN

Fleur Weasley (Delacour)- NEN

Victoire Weasley- beautiful, perfectly curled blonde hair, dark blue eyes (6th year)

Louis Weasley- blonde, brown/blue eyes (5th year)

Dominique Weasley- beautiful but hides it, wavy blonde hair, green eyes (2nd year)

* * *

Charlie Weasley- NEN

* * *

Percy Weasley- NEN

Audrey Weasley- wife

Molly- black curly hair, with pink streaks, brown eyes (6th year)

Lucy- strawberry hair, heavily freckled, brown eyes (not yet attending Hogwarts)

* * *

George Weasley- NEN

Angelina Weasley (Johnson)- NEN

Fred Weasley- (son not the brother) chocolate colored skin, brown curly hair, dark brown eyes

Roxanne Weasley- chocolate colored skin, thick dark brown hair usually in a side braid, dark brown eyes

* * *

Ronald Weasley- NEN

Hermione Weasley (Granger)- NEN

Rose Weasley- shoulder-length curly red hair, birthmark under her brown eyes (1st year)

Hugo Weasley- wavy brown hair, large green eyes, constantly smiling (not yet attending Hogwarts)

**Lovegood**** Family:**

Luna Scamander (Lovegood)- NEN

Rufus Scamander- husband

Nalliane Scamander- exact replica of Luna except for his personality (5th year)

Lysander and Lorcan Scamander- twin brothers, shoulder length wavy auburn hair (3rd years)

**Longbottom Family:**

Neville Longbottom- NEN

Hannah Longbottom (Abott)- hay-like dirty blonde hair, always wearing bright red lipstick, blue eyes

Rowan Longbottom- curly brown hair, chubby, rosy pink cheeks, light blue eyes (1st year)

Nettle Longbottom- dark brown hair, pretty, green eyes (1st year)

**Malfoy Family:**

Draco Malfoy- NEN

Astoria Malfory (Greengrass)- wife

Scorpius Malfoy- exact replica of Draco except his personality (1st year)


	2. Pilot- James

**So basically, I decided to read Harry Potter for about the 7th time in my life. I didn't expect to feel surprised at any moment, considering I could recite the plot from memory by that point. However, I felt disappointed as always at the end. Critics always praise J.K. Rowling about the conclusion she provided for her readers with the death of Voldemort and the painstakingly short epilogue. But I disagree! I want more! I NEED more! So I decided, I am going to write more :)**

**Thanks for reading and I accept all feedback!**

**I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters.**

* * *

He could hear his heart beating vehemently in his chest, as he slid across the cool wooden floor. Every sound was pronounced, and every blink he took was too long. The twitter of branches knocking against the window outside making him feverish with uncertainty. The risk pushed him forward, fueling him. Each shadow was his mother's lurking around a corner, each sigh of the wind was Albus's laughter once he found out that he came back empty handed. He wouldn't be able to stand that snicker of his. He had an image to maintain, and was not about to lose it tonight. But he was sure that if he was caught, he would have to wait an entire year until he could see the welcome sight of Hogwarts again.

Once he crossed the hallway, he came up to grandfather clock that much resembled the one that his grandmother has. Instead of telling whether they were in mortal danger- which would be constantly, if you think about all the times that Teddy dared James to fly upside down from a broomstick- it told what chores they should be doing. At the moment, his, Albus's and Lily's were resting on "Sleeping", although he knew better. His brother was on the look-out for any sign of Mom or Dad, alert to contact him with his Uncle's new Wireless-Extendable-Ear invention. Lily would probably be up practicing new ways to hex them, taking full delight in the fact that she could preform magic at freewill.

Finally reaching the office, James opened the door with a soft click that resonated against the walls. He slipped in through the tiniest crack he could manage, not wanting to risk the creak of the door hinges, and let out a soft exhale once he was inside it's safe compartment.

Looking around, James wondered if he would make a good Auror like his father. He hadn't shown much promise in his first year at Hogwarts in anything except Quidditch and earning the most consecutive detentions. They wouldn't let him join the team however, despite the many arguments he made about his dad being the youngest player in over a century. Their only excuse was that those were "_special circumstances_" and it was under direct violation under the wizarding rules of Hogwarts athletics, since he was too small compared to other players. What always managed to make James smile though was the fact that the captain took him aside personally after sneaking into try-outs, and told him that he would reserve the spot for him this year if he kept practicing.

There hasn't been a single weekend where James let go of his Nimbus 9000.

Pushing away thoughts of Quidditch, James headed over to the desk and tugged on the drawer. It didn't open though. James swore under his breath, realizing that his dad must have locked it, knowing that he couldn't use magic outside of school. He frowned, sure that his father was pulling his tail. Just yesterday, after their house elf Pickle served them dinner, his father unceremoniously mentioned that he snuck down into Hogwart's kitchen once but wasn't able to use his map. After his mother whacked him on the side of his head with a look, no more was said, but James had already forged an idea of how useful that map could be, even if it didn't show the elves kitchen. Taking a paperclip from a stack of paper, James followed Uncle George's instructions on how to unbolt a lock.

"Oh Muggles..." he whispered, "you sack of gits." and he sent a silent prayer to the one who came up with this method first.

Within no time, a faint snap came from the drawer and James opened it with ease. He scrambled through it for a few moments until he grabbed the parchment he was looking for. Success washed over him, and he ran out of the room, rushing past his parents bedroom that he noticed was vacant. Stopping short, he peeked inside, wondering where they could be. Pushing it aside, he creeped more slowly up the stairs to his bedroom where Albus sat expectantly.

"Did you get it?" he asked in a frenzy, already looking at the parchment in James's grasp.

"Of course I did! You insult my brilliance" James retorted, putting on an offended front.

Albus grinned up at his brother and said, "I don't think there is anything _to _ insult. But James, you know what this means right? With this, we'll be the next Fred and George!"

"You're forgetting something." After Albus looked at him inquisitively, he said, "At least _they _were _both _attractive. We only have one devilishly handsome face in this brotherhood," and smoothed back his dark red hair.

Someone behind them said, "This is me we're talking about right?"

At the sound of the voice, they jumped around, and James pulled out his wand on instinct. Disappointed, he stuffed it back in his waist band and said teasingly, "I'm not sure pink hair screams 'I'M HOT!"

Teddy shrugged, and leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed against his chest. "Maybe not. But this does." And with a tiny grimace his hair morphed into a blend of fiery red and orange, giving it an almost shimmery-like appearance.

James laughed, "Yeah, if you want to look like a fire hydrant." while Albus said enviously, "You've gotta teach me how to do that."

Pushing off from the door, Teddy kneeled in front of Albus and said, "You sure? It'll be much easier to just whip up a Disfigurement Charm. Much less painful too."

"Nice try. Gimme a go"

Teddy took out a piece of gum and bit off an end of it. "Fine by me. Just don't get all paranoid when you have purple spots in places only you and your mother've seen. Okay, what you need to do first is squat down. No, no. Make your stance wider. Yeah, that's it. Now scrunch up your face, and concentrate on what you what to change. Picture it in your head and how you will look like in it. Once you've got that in mind, let out a low grunting noise. More like- _uuuahhhhh_. Yeah, hahaha, that's it perfect! See you morphed!"

Albus opened one eye tentatively and looked down at his body. "No I didn't..."

James scoffed. "You sure bro? I'm pretty sure you looked like you were Aunt Petunia: old, wrinkly and constipated." Whipping out his camera he took a quick _Snap. _James and Teddy rolled on the ground laughing, holding the picture out of reach from Albus's outstretched arms.

"You four-eyed, jerk! Give it!" He lunged, landing on top of Teddy with a grunt, who rolled on top of him, and held him against the ground laughing. "Teddy! Why-are-you-so-FAT?" he gasped between breaths, struggling to get out.

James let out a roar. As soon as the words were out of Albus's mouth, Teddy gained fifty pounds, his chin now multiplied into three. Taking another picture, he stashed it away into his trunk, making sure to tuck it away safely. He didn't want anything to happen to it. Knowing Albus, there would just as many of these moments if not more once he got to Hogwarts.

A sudden screech made him turn his neck around so fast that it popped. He rolled his eyes when he saw that it was just his sister Lily, her hair redder than his falling from two braids, and holding her stuffed bunny so that it hung from her neck.

"Hehe Teddy!" she squealed, jumping onto his back so that Albus gave out a moan of pain.

"Are we all trying to crush my spine?"

Teddy got off and swung Lily around in a circle. She laughed and said, "Hehe, put me down. Teddy! Ted-ow!"

With a concerned look on his face he brought her back to sit on his hip. "How's my princess doing?"

She frowned. "I'm not a princess. I'm going to be the Chaser for Chudley Cannons like my mommy."

"Sure thing cupcake."

"I'm not a cupcake eithe-"

James interrupted, impatient. "What brings you here Teddy? It's 2 in the morning."

"I'd ask why you're all out of bed but that's probably a secret."

"So what's the secret?" he asked, he asked with a mischievous smile. Knowing Teddy, he probably made some Muggle's old tea set pour it's own drink and gave an old lady a heart attack, so he came here asking Harry for some help. At least, that's what happened last time.

He lowered his voice so that it was hardly distinguishable and said, "I'm thinking of going blonde." and with that he left the room with that same concerned expression, whipping around the corner so fast that they didn't even realize he had left.

"Well that was odd..." Albus said.

James shrugged. "Yeah, I can't really picture him as a blonde."

Albus frowned but didn't press the matter any further. James checked his pocket once more to make sure the Marauder's Map was still there and grinned at his brother, who smiled right back.

"What are you two so happy about?" she asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes.

"Well we were happy until now," James replied.

"Why?"

"You showed up."

She crossed her arms over her chest and gave him a contemptuous glare. "Well I wouldn't want to hang around a couple of hippogriff ass cheeks anyways!" and with that she stomped out of the room, trailing her limp stuffed bunny behind her, its arm suspended in the air as if waving goodbye.

"Remind me to skip breakfast tomorrow."

Clambering into the top bunk, Albus said, "What do you think'll be this time? Can't be worse than booger flavored beans."

"Knowing her, it'll be ten times that. But Al! Let's go see what Ted is up to!"

He swayed, looking unsure. "If Dad catches us-"

"Oh... I forgot. You don't want to do anything bad in case it makes you more likely to become a Slytherrin. Fine. No, no, no. It's okay. Seriously. You be a good little boy and stay put. Just don't expect me to tell you what they were talking about when I come back." James walked out of the bedroom and purposely slowed down, waiting for the creak of Albus's bed. "Great. Let's go."

They could hear muttering from the kitchen below them. They reached the middle step, and stopped there, with their heads pressed against the railing.

"I still can't hear anything," James murmured.

"Here." Albus threw a Wireless-Extendable Ear into the living room, so it landed mutely on the cushioned couch. They turned their heads toward the Ear in Albus's hand and listened to his parents argue with his father's godson.

"...last year at Hogwarts."

"Teddy, you're father had the same problem, he-"

"Well he isn't here to tell me, is he?"

There was a moment of brief silence, and James could just imagine his father's disconcerted face and Teddy's chest heaving with the emotion of the statement. Slowly, his mom began to talk. "Lupin was a great man. He would be proud-"

"How should I know? I can't remember a single thing about my parents. All I have of them is the memories other people have shared! How is that fair? He may be proud of me, but I can't be proud of a man who-"

"You're father died for you! He DIED Teddy! So you can live! So he could leave this place a little better than when he got here for YOU!"

The sound of his father's animated voice seemed to shake the very house. James held his breath, waiting for whatever would come next.

Teddy let out a soft breath that may have been the beginning of a laugh that died in his heart. "I was stupid to think you'd understand. I'll see you at Kings Crossing Station."

A creak and thump told James that Teddy left the house and his father had taken a seat at the kitchen table. Ginny spoke softly, and no matter how quiet they were, they couldn't tell what she said.

"No," came Harry's weak reply. "He needs to figure this out on his own. The more he hangs out with that crowd though, the more of a monster he will begin to see himself as."

"How do you think the kids will take it when they hear the news?"

"If it was up to me, I'd rather them not know at all. They adore him Ginny. If they find out, they won't ever look at him the same. But I know one thing. It's not going to come from us. If Teddy wants to ruin his future that is his choice-"

"Harry!"

"No Ginny, listen. He is a man now. He is less likely to listen to me now than ever. He needs his real father..."

Albus nudged James on the shoulder, and they walked back up the stairs silently, both consumed in their own thoughts. After a little while, Ginny came up to check that they were still sleeping and switched the light off in the hallway. Looking up, James couldn't tell the difference between having them closed or opened. Nothing made sense. Teddy had always been the strong one. He always seemed so cool and laid-back, everything that James wanted to be. But he couldn't misinterpret the fear that shook his voice when he was talking about his parents. Never before had James thought to ask him about it. It never seemed much of an importance. He basically lived here, was practically a brother to them. But it didn't seem that Teddy felt that way anymore. The more James thought about it, the more certain he felt about it.

He closed his eyes, ashamed of a sudden thought, that maybe this meant one less person to live up to. If Teddy messed up so badly that Lily would stop fangirling over him, then it must be huge.

James turned around onto his side and hugged his knees to his chest, counting sheep in his head until nothing remained but his own thoughts.


	3. Hidden Talents- Albus

**_Here's a tip for reading the chapters. On the title of each, it says the name of the person who's perspective you will be living from. Yes, I said living. I think a great story is one that can make you feel the most. Not saying that mine is great in any way, but I hope that it reaches out to some of you. Please review! I would love some feedback. _**

**_Merci! Profitez-en!_**

* * *

After a couple of days, there was still no sign of Teddy. His absence ran through Albus like a blade of ice, chilling his heart. If Teddy was hanging around as bad of company as his dad had said, then what if there was another reason he was not here. Or perhaps the argument with Harry drove him to run away with them. He mentioned his fears to James, but was returned empty-handed as his brother thwarted away any feelings of sympathy for their friend.

"He said he was going to be at King's Cross. Obviously he's going to Hogwarts then," James had told him, impatient to get to Shaun's house, so his best friend can wake up to his bedroom raining uncontrollably with Weasley's Wet Weather product.

Albus knew his brother better than James thought. Teddy was the person James wanted to become. Ever since they had heard that conversation, James had adopted a baptized recklessness, as if causing double the damage would attract Teddy back like a magnet. He could only hope that James would be distracted for today at least, since they were going to see Uncle George and his family. A visit to his emporium may benefit James's mood, but Albus was concerned for the unlucky pedestrians who would fall victim to James's humor.

"Let's go! No Lily, you cannot drive with Daddy on the motorcycle... Because, we have no place to park it. That thing's bigger than your father's head."

Harry laughed, and swiped the car keys from Ginny's back pocket, dangling them infront of her mockingly. "That's to fit all of my genius in."

"Oh please," she replied, making a swipe for the keys but missing, and kissing him lightly on the lips.

James feigned a gagging motion, and Albus quickly got into the backseat, careful to avoid seeing his parents make-out if he could help it. They squeezed into the car, and pushed up against each other, trying to get the most room possible. Albus let his brother and sister fight it out, deciding that when they were tired he could stretch out his legs, and they wouldn't bother to push them off.

Lily moaned, "You two better not have any more kids. I don't think we'd be able to fit."

"He'll-" James started.

"Or she!"

"-just have to be strapped to the top of the car. I'm pretty sure that you two have squeezed the fat out of me."

Albus rolled his green eyes, which unfortunately, was caught by James.

"What you prissy? Don't think you're out of the question to get thrown on top of the car."

"Being confined beyond capacity won't '_squeeze the fat out of you'_, but create enough pressure among your thoracic cage, that the bones would snap."

"What?" James said, giving him an incredulous look.

"Oh I'm sorry," Albus answered, "let me dumb it down for you-"

"Boys!" Ginny called, getting into the passenger seat.

They sufficed their anger with a glare each. Albus turned and faced out the window, watching the houses whip past him. Before long, they got to the Leaky Cauldron and climbed out. On their way in Ginny stopped to talk to the new landlady Hannah Abott, who ran the place after Tom was killed years ago, when he stood up for one of his customer's against Yaxley.

"How's Neville doing Hannah?"

"Oh, he is dashing really. Can_not_ wait for school to start up again this year. He's been absolutely dying to show the students his new collection of mimbulus mimbletonia. Been breeding them since he was a boy, he has..." in a high nazily voice.

Traveling away from this conversation, which Albus knew would take most of the morning, he traveled up the stairs behind the bar to see Rowan and Nettle. They would be starting school with him too this year, and he was anxious to see how they were handling it. Once he reached the first landing, he had to take a couple steps back from the powerful smell.

It wasn't bad necessarily. Come to think of it, the more he inhaled it, the more appealing it became. Albus took a step into the room, looking for the source of the smell and came across a flowered, red plant, his mouth watering with desire. Its sleek leaves shone under the hazy morning sun coming through the window, and a single white bud was protruding from the center of its clasp, as if presenting a ring to a beloved.

He reached out a hesitant hand, his mouth telling him that it was safe, but his mind telling him to go back downstairs. Just as he touched the bulb, Rowan came out of nowhere knocking him to the ground, so that Albus landed on his wrist with a crack.

"You stupid-git!" Rowan squeaked, his asthma convulsing his body as it took shattered breaths. "That's a hatching venomous tentacula! Don't you know how- dangerous they are?"

Albus inspected his broken wrist, blushing a violent shade of red. He shook his head, more because he was trying to shake out his own stupidity, than to answer Rowan's question. He looked up at the slightly overweight boy in front of him, with his curly auburn hair and rosy pink cheeks, still trying to catch his breath. Then Albus looked down at himself, and blushed ever harder.

"Where did you come from?" he asked curiously. "You sound like you ran here from Quilty's Quills."

"I-was hiding-because I did-n't want you to see me."

Albus raised an eyebrow.

"Nettle got burnt from a-fire crab," still managing between breaths. "She saw you walking up the stairs-and- made me promise that if she can't see you, then I can't-either."

"What would I care if I saw her with burns?"

"Because," Nettle said, coming down from another flight of stairs, "even I can't stand the look of me." She lowered her green velvet hood to reveal a grotesque face that could have been beautiful once, but was red and blotchy, with shiny pus escaping from lumps. Peels of skin were falling off in flakes, and raw skin could be seen on her cheek. Her blonde hair was singed off at the ends, dry and brittle, but still full of life at the roots. Her brown eyes were full to the rim with tears. A green paste was plastered over her face.

Albus turned away with politeness as she released a tear, pretending not to see. But perhaps this was the wrong move, for Nettle's eyes flared dangeroulsy. "See Rowan? No one can look at me! This is all your fault!" and she stopped up the stairs, leaving the boys in a state of unbelief.

Rowan played with this hands. "I thought the firecrab would've made a good pet..."

Albus didn't answer but looked back at the Venemous Tentacula, regretting ever coming up the stairs. He was thankful for when Rowan changed the subject.

" She has a crush on you, I think. Didn't mind it so much, but Mum told us that the Potters were coming, so she tried to clean up. Ran to Beaulles Roses Boutique to put something over her face, but it just made it worse... So did you get your letter yet? I just got mine today. Mum's real proud of me, started crying. Nettle didn't get that much attention. She told me Mum was so excited because she thought I was a Squib, but Dad told me she's jealous. Told me he thought he was a Squib too when he was young."

Albus got up and walked around the tables full of different Herbology plants, poking a spiky purple ball with a fork. "No, mine should be coming in later this week though. Owls always bring our post a little later than everyone else's." The plant emitted a transparent gas and a high-pitched deflating sound, like a balloon. "Want to meet us when we go get fitted for robes?"

"Smashing. Invite Rose too will you? She's smart, she might know what will make burns go away. That way Nettle won't get dips on dessert anymore. Dad knows his plants of course, same with Mum. Both got O.W.L's in Herbology. But they could only get paste from this sour plant. Makes my nose tingle every time Nettle comes into the room. Don't know how she stands it. Should be gone before she gets to school. But I wish I knew what house I was in already. That way I could get robes that match its colors!"

Albus snorted. "Imagine wearing yellow robes. What a disaster that would be."

"I was actually hoping to be in Hufflepuff. My dad's the Head of the House even though he was in Gryffindor. Runs is pretty well, and it's not as much as a disaster as before. Each house has got its name you know, for what they are looking for in a student. Hufflepuff was always the laughing stock because 'kiind' people get in. Dad says they are the talented ones now. What house do you want to be in Albus?"

Albus shrugged, pretending he didn't care either way. He hid his hand behind his back though, with two fingers crossed so tightly, they almost looked stuck.

* * *

"So how is this new batch of soon-to-be Gryffindors?" Uncle George greeted them, wearing a new dragon-skinned blazer, blinding Albus temporarily, as they flashed.

Aunt Angelina punched him covertly, with a warm smile at a nervous Roxanne next to her. "Silly Daddy. You know perfectly well we'll be happy with whatever house you end up in."

"Of course! Of course! I'm just saying, Gryffindor's the best. Look how..." and broke off, as if forgetting to finish his sentence.

Angelina sighed.

"And if you're in Slytherrin, you'll be living on the streets. Can't afford any..."

James nudged Albus. "I've got your cardboard box picked out for you already." He made to run off with Roxanne's brother Fred, but Angeline caught them by the hem of their shirts, pulling them back.

"And where do you think you two are going?"

"Well, I saw that new order of Biggle Drops, and we were going to us-"

James elbowed him in the stomach. "Check them out. See if they are worth buying."

Uncle George chuckled, the light of his old mischief alive in his eyes. "Of course they are. That'll be eight sickles," he said, holding out his hand.

"But I'm your nephew!"

"I'm helping you out. More you pay, newer the material you will see next time you get here. Business is a gippy."

James grumbled and Angelina addressed the family. "We thought we'd have a game of Quidditch. Ron and Hermione will be here in a bit, then we can have a 6-by-6 game."

Albus grumbled. He absolutely despised Quidditch. More so or less. He just thought that there were better things to spend your time doing. Like saving a squirrel or eating a sandwich!

Roxanne caught Albus's eye and he disappeared with her up the spiral stairs, just faintly making out his mother's call, "Be down here in half an hour, read to kick some Weasley ass!"

They passed the first two floors of the joke shop and got to the third floor, where they lived. The flat was a giant open space, its wooden floors covered mostly by a large carpet. All around there were pieces of furniture in random places that didn't make much sense. Albus had no idea where the kitchen was until he saw a grungy house-elf making itself around an upside down couch into an area that was half kitchen-appliances and half living room furniture. Albus snuck a handful of cookies and followed Roxanne up another flight of stairs that brought them to an entirely different floor. It looked like a normal house, with two hallways making an L, and doors on each that lead to different rooms. Going to the farthest on the right, Albus sank down onto a beanbag on Roxanne's floor. Her golden retriever was chasing its tail in the corner and Rose was already on the bed, lying on her back with her front half hanging down the side, reading a book.

"Hey Rose, when d'you get here?" Albus asked, scratching the dog behinds her ears.

She turned a page, her eyes darting across the page with unnatural speed. "Slept over. Hugo was experimenting with the toilet. Wanted to see if he could flush himself down. So I came here with Dad to work, so he could get out of helping Mum clean."

"Sounds like Uncle Ron... I just saw Rowan and Nettle. Did you hear what happened?"

Roxanne's green eyes met his, and something in them told Albus that he should keep quiet.

"No what?" asked Rose, not seeming particularly interested.

"Oh...um, she just is upset because her Venomous Tentacula ate her cat."

"What?!" Rose exclaimed, dropping the book in her haste to hear what happened. Albus only just remembered that Rose was a huge cat lover. Crookshanks died only two years ago, and she still teared up at the thought of him.

Roxanne aimed a well-placed kick at his shins, and with his eyes swimming, he mumbled something about them being able to save it.

Rose looked horrified. "Oh, well that's good at least. I didn't even know that Venomous Tentacula _could _consume prey larger than themselves. I've been slacking on my reading..."

Roxanne rolled her eyes at Albus. She was never the one to keep up with her studies. Always more interested in the social aspect of Hogwarts. Seeing how pretty she was, Albus wasn't surprised she was one of the more popular ones of the upcoming second years. Albus didn't know what to think, or what he was even interested in. He only had one priority on his mind.

They started talking about the Quidditch match last night, when a shout from down the hall made them jump.

"Oi! When you ladies are done talking about the latest fashion line, the game's gonna start!"

Albus got up halfheartedly and followed the girls out of the room, running a hand through his black hair. Out of all the Potters, Albus looked the most like his dad. He had light freckles around his nose, and his eyes were an emerald green. His hair was flat and straight, however. He couldn't help but notice how different he was from James, and not only because his brother had ruffled red-brown hair, and hazel eyes, but how confident he was.

Shaking his head, he greeted Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron with a hug each, and mussed Hugo's hair, who ducked appreciatively out of way.

Finally realizing a predicament, he asked, "Uncle George-"

"Call me Georgie"

"Georgie-"

"Nah, don't like the ring of that. How about The Georginator? Or..." and trailed off again.

"Uncle George, where are we going to play? We are in the middle of Diagon Alley."

He chuckled, a warm sound. "You don't need a pitch to play. Angelina and I set it all up. You see, instead of hoops you've got to get it through the spaces between those chimneys on that side. And hit those three green towels hanging outside that window over there. Alrighty then. I say... I'm Captain!"

Albus's dad patted George away. "Nice try."

"Yeah," said Uncle Ron, "it's obviously me."

"No, I'm it!" shouted Lily, to whose delight Hugo was laughing encouragingly.

"BOYS!" Ginny shouted, and silence followed.

"Wow, you sounded just like Mum... You're kids must be deaf by now then." Uncle Ron turned to Albus and knocked on the side of his head. "CAN-YOU-HEAR-ME?"

"Honestly Ron," said Aunt Hermione. "He's more likely deaf now than before."

Ginny quieted the kids laughter and then split up the teams.

**Red Team: **Seeker (Harry), Chasers (Angelina, Fred), Beaters (Lily, Hugo), Keeper (James)

**Super Cool Team Because Uncle George is in it Who's Going to Kick Red Team's Ass Singlehandedly**: Seeker (Ginny), Chasers (Albus, Roxanne) Beaters (George, Hermione), Keeper (Ron)

**Referee: **Rose

They each borrowed some Cleansweeps from the shop since the owner owed Uncle George a favor, and they rose up into the air. Everyone got up okay except for Hugo and Hermione. From what Albus could tell, the team's seemed evenly matched. Except where he was concerned. Albus could only hope that he wasn't as bad as Hermione, who flying in circles, apparently afraid that she would fall if she stopped.

Lily blew the whistle and off they went. Harry and Ginny saw the Golden Snidget (which was a golden bird, being used as a Snitch), and raced towards it. Lily couldn't hold the heavy bat in the air with one hand and fly so she grasped the handle of the broom with two hands and hit bludgers back with it extended like that. Uncle George was a beast, and could aim for Angelina all the way across the "field." Fred grabbed the Quaffle and flew by Albus, practically knocking him off his broomstick, and therefore, bringing him back into the game.

With the littlest twitch of his arm, Albus could see that Fred was ready to throw off to his mom to score on Ron. Without even realizing he was doing it, Albus zoomed in between them and intercepted the pass making a hard U-turn towards James.

"Nice one James!" Ginny shouted from far below him.

"Thanks mom!"

"Oi! No patronizing with the enemy!" Uncle George called, hitting a bludger away that Lily managed to aim towards Albus.

Albus looked to his right and saw Roxanne, her arms outstretched for the pass. Albus looked ahead, seeing his brother's concentrated glare, and threw it away to Roxanne, who caught it with one arm, using the other one to turn sharply as she threw the Quaffle to the right of James. He kicked it away, with a shout of glee from Fred.

Angelina had the Quaffle and Albus yelled at Roxanne to follow him. Together they corned Angelina, forcing her to drop the ball, where Fred caught it readily.

"Who knew you'd be so good at Quidditch Al!" Fred called. "Too bad you're just not good enough!" and he sneaked the ball past Ron's outstretched arms, making the game 10-0.

"That's my baby!" James shouted, flying in a circle.

"Aww honey, you're so sweet to me," Fred joked back.

Albus grimaced, an unnatural competitiveness washing over him. Picking up the Quaffle, he passed it to Roxanne, who passed it back, and repeated the pattern, swerving in and out of the other team's futile attempts to intercept it. Finally, getting up close to James, Albus caught the Quaffle and threw with all his might- despite his protesting wrist- towards the center chimney.

It was as if time sped up. James's eyes widened in surprise, and next thing anyone knew he was down on the ground, holding his knee to his chest as if it was the most precious thing in the world, with a splintered broomstick in his hand. Everyone dropped down and ran towards him.

"What happened?" Harry asked, holding the struggling bird in his hand.

Ginny ran towards James, and whispered soothingly, looking at his knee. "He broke it. Do you have any Skele-Gro George?"

"In the cupboard. I'll run and get some," Angelina said over her shoulder, already at the door.

Harry picked James up, who was biting his lip so furiously that it started to bleed. Albus followed solemnly, trailing behind everyone, and leaving the broken broomstick behind. By the time he got to the fourth floor, James was on the couch draining a cup of Skele-Gro with a hovering mother over him.

"Mum! I'm fine, I'm not a baby anymore!"

Harry put a hand on Ginny's shoulder, and whispered, "Honey, come on. Let him rest."

"Ha!," laughed Ron. "I'm sure he'll get plenty of rest with this bunch around him."

As soon as the adults left the room, James sprang up from the bed and pressed Albus up against the wall.

"Why the bloody hell would you do that for?" he bellowed, digging his elbow into Albus's neck.

"What are you talking about?" Albus choked, trying to get a grip on his brother.

"You know perfectly well what I mean! If you weren't so bad at Quidditch then maybe I wouldn't have fallen and broken my thigh!"

At those words, Albus kicked his brother in the chest, sending him flying across the room and back onto the couch.

"Hey! You lay off him!" Fred yelled, shoving Albus against the wall against.

Roxanne heaved Fred away and shouted, "Stop it! Nothing permanent happened right? In an hour you're knee will be better and this will be all forgotten!" She let go of Fred with a push.

They all stood there, breathing heavily, and staring each other in the eyes, waiting for someone to back down.

James looked away first.

"I won't forget... Not until I'm Keeper for the Gryffindor team."

He left, leaning on Fred's shoulders, closing the door behind them with a bang. Albus slid down the wall with a sigh, taking a swig of Skele-Gro for his wrist, and closed his eyes.

"You really oughtn't to do that-" Rose said, speaking for the first time.

"Relax. If James doesn't make the team..." he held up the Skele-Gro in tribute, "this'll be replacing my Pumpkin Juice."

Nobody said anything, which might have been awkward for the other two, but was completely welcome to Albus, who drank in the silence thirstily.

Roxanne was the first to break it. "Is it just me or did James seem to be on his period?"

They laughed until their stomachs hurt. Perhaps because it was really funny. Or maybe because they needed an excuse to feel comfortable again. When Albus was in a bad mood, so was everyone else. They laughed until they had tears coming out of their eyes, and couldn't face James at dinner when he spilt a glob of ketchup onto his pants.

But behind all of his smiles, Albus was still thinking, about Quidditch, and how he got caught up in the adrenaline, and why James's eyes looked almost scared when he threw the Quaffle.


	4. Light and Dark- Lily

** Someone informed me that it was hard to keep up with all of the characters, and I realized that they were right (thank you Carriage!). There are A LOT of new characters being introduced, as well as all of the old ones. So, to make it easier, I created a sort of list in replacement of the first chapter where you can see what character is which and what they look like.**

**Besides that, I am having a lot of fun writing this. I'm only upset that school is coming up soon, and I'll be writing these chapters at a much slower pace.**

**Thanks for reading! Oh and a shoutout to my friend HadleyandBrandon author of The Wrong Choice. If any of you are as into The Fosters as we are, then I highly recommend reading it for some Brallie romance :)**

* * *

Lily was playing the part of Switzerland. James and Albus fought like they never did before. They always seemed to be of one mind, a perfect balance between recklessness, reason, bravery and curiosity, like ying and yang. Now, their opposites drove them apart and Lily was being used as a token of victory.

She was the deciding factor that directed their animosity. At first, she flourished in this new-found power, learning that it was easy to manipulate boys preoccupied with motives of gaining superiority over the other. They would do whatever she asked when she asked of it. It was not long before she grew tired of their banter and constant pestering her for her opinion over simple matters, such as which brother was her favorite, or whose teeth were whiter.

"Hey Lily! Sit next to me!"

"No, come over here! I buttered your bread for you!"

"Suck-up! Why don't you just kiss her ass now and get it over with?"

"BOYS!" Their mom yelled, glaring at each in turn, causing them to look down at their penne vodka with something close to shame. "That's enough! Whatever it is that happened between you two, I want you to fix it before we leave for Diagon Alley tomorrow. Otherwise, you won't be getting those owls I promised you."

"Mom!" they groaned in unison.

Lily snickered at the far end of the table, picking away at the noodles and shrimp, leaving the tomatoes in a pile on the side.

_Serves them right. One less thing for them to look forward too. Meanwhile, I''m stuck here with no wand and Mrs. Rogers._

Mrs. Rogers was a fairly old lady that lived down the street from them. She was a witch in the worst way possible. Not straying far from Muggles' belief of what a witch should be like, Mrs. Rogers bought a new black cat every single time one of hers died and persisted in wearing black no matter what the season or occasion. Whenever she invited them over for brunch, Lily was forced to endure an entire afternoon of looking up at a crooked nose and smelling some awful stench that came from a pot that always seemed to be brewing over the fire.

Despite their unfortunate neighbor, the Potters lived in a well-groomed area. Not unlike the Burrow, the environment was rural friendly, where kids could bike across the street to their friend's house or go down to a park not too far away. The streets were lined with oaks and sycamores, where an occasional flowering cherry tree would bloom in a yard or two. No Muggle ever understood why the Potters' was so big, or how they kept their lawn so well-trimmed even though they never seemed to be outside doing yard work.

Harry couldn't bring himself to live in the house Sirius had left him in his will. So he dedicated it to being a safe-haven for his and his friends' families if they were ever in danger. Of course, the house hasn't been used in years for that purpose, and Harry cringed at the thought of what state it would be in after the death of Kreacher at the Battle of Hogwarts.

Kreacher had, however, left someone in their service to Harry. Pickle was Kreacher's granddaughter and refused to be given any article of clothing for freedom or be payed, much to Hermione's displeasure. To compensate, Lily and the rest made sure to include Pickle in every meal they had, and whatever games they played, like a family member, so as to treat her with respect and affection.

And in return, Pickle promised to bring the kids safely into 12 Grimmauld Place, and keep quiet from their parents. They had other plans for the house. He used it as a sort of incantation ritual, where 1st years in the family being introduced to Hogwarts go to get accepted into their club. It was originally started by Teddy, but has temporarily been passed down to James.

Lily was never allowed to go to these meetings, and would not be going with them on Friday, when Albus, and Rose have their trial. And no hostility between her brothers would change that.

"Why can't I go?" she had wailed, staring fiercely at James, who looked away.

"Because," Albus answered, "you'll have your chance. I wasn't allowed to go to James's, or anyone else's, so stop complaining as if your so special."

Lily reddened, the freckles on her disappearing. Albus had a power over her. Over everybody, she thought. He could make you feel so special, just like he had said, or bring you down so you think you're no better than dirt.

When the next day rolled by, Lily made sure to dress her best, layering the blue dress with a white sweater and belt. Hurriedly running to the fireplace, Lily tied her front pieces of hair behind her head and slipped on her shoes. She grabbed a handful of floo powder and followed Albus into the fire, saying "Diagon Alley" as clearly as she could. As the last syllable was said, Lily was sucked into a different dimension, swimming through a portal where she could catch glimpses of other people's lives; a little boy fell on his knee and only started crying when his mother swooped down on him; a couple was watching a movie, holding hands and sipping champagne; a family sitting down to dinner.

Reappearing on the other side, Lily stumbled a couple of steps, almost knocking over a witch hustling towards Eeylops Owl Emporium.

"Lily, you sure you're awake?" Albus asked.

"Of course I am! Otherwise I wouldn't be able to tell you that you're looking stupid as always." Lily stated, satisfied from the anger she ignited in Albus from the look in his eyes.

"Lily?" he said hesitantly, almost apologetically. This is what bothered her most about her brother, his ability to brush aside such insults as if the opinions of others did not matter to him. It was infuriating trying to get a rise out of him, and she hasn't been successful yet. He wears a jacket of politeness, and Lily was sure that it was fake. She just needed to prove it to everyone else.

"What?!" she snapped.

"You're wearing your shoes on the opposite foot." He walked by, patting her shoulder as if he was genuinely sorry but with a smug look on his face, and said over his shoulder, "Who looks stupid now?"

Lily fumed, and kicked her sandals off violently. One flew across the cobble stone street to where the same old witch was, now holding a brand new raven on her arm. The witch looked at her viciously, and turned away with a huff, disappearing down a dark corridor.

Lily hurried over and retrieved her sandal, making sure to put them on the right foot. Then she turned to follow the old witch, wondering where she was heading to in such a hurry, but was stopped by a sudden hand on her shoulder.

Looking up, Lily saw her father with a knowing but disapproving look on his face. He pushed his glasses back up his nose and knelt down next to her so that they were eye level.

"That's a bad place Lily. I don't want you going in there," Harry spoke softly.

Lily looked back and found that she couldn't see it anymore. It had disappeared! Then she asked, "What is it?"

"Somewhere dark," he said simply and turned away, signaling that the conversation was over and she shouldn't ask anything else.

Grabbing his hand, they went through the streets, looking for Ginny and the kids. Lily breathed in the warm air full of different smells, like the baking pecan-crusted caramel apples or new books being opened for the first time, releasing their wonder and words. She saw some familiar faces, and waved back to them. She thought she saw Nettle Longbottom at one point, but whoever it was had their face covered by a hood. Lily looked forward again and saw Hugo Weasley running towards her, so she quickly dropped her father's hand, giving him an apologetic look.

"Hey! Look what I got!" Hugo said, practically screaming, holding out his cupped hands. Inside was a bubble that seemed to sparkle. When Lily held out her finger to poke it, Hugo pulled it back, yelling, "No! It's from Quality Quidditch Supplies! If you pop it you can fly for about twenty seconds, and be lifted up in the air like twenty feet!"

"Wow! Dad can I get one?"

Harry looked at it thoughtfully and said, "Remember Lily, you only have twenty sickles to spend today. Don't go wasting it all in one place."

Lily turned back to her friend and asked, "How much was it Hugo?"

"Twelve sickles!"

"Great I can get it then! Thanks Daddy!" she hugged Harry briefly then ran off with Hugo, waving absentmindedly to Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron, then whipping around the corner towards Q.Q.S.

She looked up at the red door with awe, admiring all that it held inside. This was the place where her mother got her broom that she used playing as Chaser for the Holyhead Harpies. This was the place where his dad saw his first broomstick, the first day he felt like he belonged. And she would carry down the tradition, buying her very own broomstick once she made her mark on Quidditch in school.

"In case your wondering how shops work, you pull open the door, not stare it down," Hugo laughed, tugging her inside.

"It's magical..." she whispered to herself, but someone nearby happened to hear.

Turning the lady said in a chipped but friendly voice, "Why of course it is darling. How else do you suspect these things fly? Otherwise, they'd just be Muggle cleaning equipment. Now what can I help you with?" She bent down, gazing into Lily's amber eyes with her pale ones. It was unsettling, like looking at a ghost that didn't completely go yet.

"I would like to get one of those bubbles that he has," Lily said, pointing towards Hugo, who was picking up a bushel of second-hand broomsticks he knocked down.

"Ah," the lady with the name tag that read Lucy said, looking slightly disappointed. "Well we have a basket full of them over by the counter. Just be careful with them." And she walked away, helping another customer who was looking at some broomstick hanging up on the wall.

Not satisfied with that reaction, Lily squeezed her eyes shut and willed that some icky substance would find its way into Lucy's shoes.

She walked over to the basket with a wide grin on her face as Lucy began to squeal in disgust as a lump of sludge fell from her boots. Reaching down into the basket, Lily chose an orb with blue sparkles to match her dress and payed the clerk twelve sickles, the sound of eight more silver coins still bouncing around in her purse.

Pulling Hugo away from yet another disastrous fall, Lily went to the town square, that more resembled a circle, and took out her bubble from the tight packaging.

"Come on! Let's go and scare Rose as she is coming out of Quilty's Quills!"

"Wait. You want to use it already? Don't you think it'll be useful, like for something else?"

"Yeah...you're right. We can scare Rose on our feet, and put a black cloth over us then use the orbs to float away. Much more dramatic."

Hugo shook his head, but before they could pursue the conversation any further, Hermione came up behind them wearing a fancy white blouse tucked into black work pants. Lily always hated the fact that once she grew up she wouldn't be able to wear colors anymore. She hasn't seen a single adult dress outrageously except for Grandpa Weasley, but that's because he is always experimenting with Muggle styles.

"Hey honey, let's go over to Madam Malkin's. Everyone is there. We'll eat lunch, then you two can go run off again." Then as if thinking more on the matter, she added hastily, "Not too far! Only forty yards in perimeter from wherever you and your father and I are." Nodding satisfied, Hermione lead them to the shop where Ron leaned against the windows lazily, waiting.

"Finally. I know Madam Malkin is like a thousand years old now, but you'd think she has lived long enough to learn the courtesy of finishing a job quickly so her customers can eat!"

"Honestly Ron is that all you think about?" Hermione rolled her eyes, kissing him on the cheek.

Ron shrugged, oblvious to the kids infront of him as he said, "Well I could think about some other places I'd like you to kiss-"

"Ronald!" Hermione gasped, perplexed, and blushing a deep red.

He laughed, then kissed her fully on the lips. "You asked sweetheart."

Lily and Hugo followed them inside, having no clue what the conversation was implying. Once inside they saw Albus standing on top of a pedestal, being fitted for a set of deep green velvet robes.

"Do they have to be green?" he asked imploringly.

"Yes hun. Every other color is sold out, besides the traditional black pairs, and you've already purchased your school robes." Ginny said, picking out three galleons from her purse.

Albus glowered, not a befitting look on him. Next to him was a blonde boy, whose face was so impassive that Lily hadn't noticed him until the old withered lady (who Lily guessed was Madam Malkin) who was fitting him, exclaimed horrified.

"Oh my dear! I pricked your skin dear. Sorry dear."

Looking curiously at the boy, Lily noticed that he hadn't even winced and remained mute the entire time he was getting fitted. Rose was on a pedestal on the other side of this boy and looked up at him as well. Her eyes widened, and she made quick to avert her gaze, staring down at her shoes.

Out of nowhere then, the boys father came from behind a rack of robes and addressed his son, "Scorpius, what do you think of these? I remember having the same exact ones when I went to Hogwarts. Want you looking your best as you excel-" he stopped talking, and looked up at the people surrounding his son. Then he turned towards Lily's dad and inclined his head, "Potter."

Harry smiled, an odd look in his eyes, like a mixture of respect, pity and disappointment. "Nice to know old habbits don't die, huh Malfoy?"

Not bothering to speak to anyone else, the man dragged his son from a protesting Madam Malkin and threw a couple of coins in a jar for payment. "You have his measurements! Finish it in your own time and mail them to me straight away!"

"Oh dear," Madam Malkin said, gathering up all of her tools, "pricked your skin dear. So sorry dear..."

When everyone was payed for, the group came out of the shop, nobody quite sure what to say. James merely looked pained, as if anticipating one of the adults to explain what just happened. Albus looked humbled, as if he felt that something greater than him occurred. Lily, though, she was annoyed. She tried talking to Hugo several times but was rebuked as Ginny shushed her fiercely, as if disturbing a funeral.

They settled down to eat at Cafe de la Lisette. Lily's parents as well as her Aunt and Uncle sat at a separate table, their heads huddled together in hushed whispering. Lily frowned pointedly at the single rose layed out on the table as if it was all its fault that she was having a miserable time. She ate her grilled cheese sandwich as quickly as she could, not helping to notice that Albus sat purposely closest to the adults and the tapping of James's fingers as he waited for the pretty waitress to come around again to ask if he wanted another water, even though he has just been emptying it out in the street.

"Whatever do you think that was about?" Rose whispered in Lily's ear. Out of all the older kids, Rose was the nicest to her. It was as if she did not care about their age difference but more about her input.

"Beats me," Lily said lamely, wishing that she had something more smart to say to impress Rose. "It looked as though they were all prepared to stay there until that boy got his robes fitted, but as soon as the dad saw Daddy, they bolted."

Rose looked thoughtful, staring intently at the rose, like Lily, as if it had all the answers. This rose was getting a lot of attention.

"Oh it must be! Yes, that is the only explanation!" Rose looked estactic, as if just passing her O.W.L.S, although Rose would be the only one to actually look forward to them in that light.

"What?" Lily asked, entrapped now.

"Well, I think that boy had to be the son of Draco Malfoy!" Rose looked pleased with herself for solving such a mystery.

Lily looked at her dumbfounded. "Drake Malfy?"

"You know! Your father's arch-nemesis in school-"

Hermione interrupted them, wiping her mouth with a napkin."Rose! We need to buy the rest of your school supplies and head home. I need to make sure that Crookshanks Junior didn't ruin the house..." and they left, leaving Lily still as ignorant as ever.

* * *

Hugo and Lily chased the cat through Diagon Alley, not caring for the little boy they knocked down or the old man whose books flew out of his hands. Dangling from the cat's mouth was Lily's purse, which still had two more sickles in it after they bought ice cream and Lily picked up a new trainer-quill, which should supposedly help with her dyslexia.

"Hey!" they called, and tried with all their might to make the cat stop, but it was hard to run and perform magic at the same time.

Before they knew it they ran up to a deserted road, where the bag of money lay in a puddle. Lily and Hugo stopped, hands on their knees and panting. Looking around, Lily stooped to pick up the money bag and saw a mark engraved in one of the stones next to it. Holding her breath, she pushed it further into the ground, and heard Hugo gasp behind her.

Turning around she saw an alleyway that wasn't there before, with the sign "Knockturn Alley" written on it. Curiosity getting the best of her, Lily started to walk down the stone steps, only stopping when Hugo grabbed her arm to hold her back.

"Lily what are you doing?!" he looked petrified.

"Are you saying that when you're asleep at night you're not going to wonder what was in this alleyway?"

And with that they set down, seeing more wizards and witches the further they delved into it. Seeing how far the alley went, Lily supposed that it had to be invisible of some sort for it not to turn up into one of the Diagon Alley roads. There were shops lining the streets, but the light was too dark to make out what any of the signs said.

A lonely witch was huddled on the ground, holding a snake a talking to it in a language that was not English.

Hurrying away, Lily and Hugo found that they would have rather made friends with the snake-talking lady. Everyone here seemed to be faceless, and if they could make out one every now and then, it was not friendly.

Lily groped for Hugo's and found that it was clammy like her own. They started to hurry their footsteps, and Lily wished that she wore something darker to conceal herself. She now knew that this must be the place her father warned her about.

There didn't seem to be an end. The street kept going and going. Even when they turned it led nowhere that looked warm and inviting. Everyone had a cold appeal about it that made the goosebumps on their arms grow higher and higher.

Lily could feel the tears starting to form in her eyes.

"Daddy will find me. He always does... Daddy's coming..." she kept muttering under her breath, not even caring if Hugo heard. He followed her like a lost puppy, and in every way, that was exactly what they were.

"Lost?" a voice from behind them said.

Screaming they turned and saw a pale bald man sitting at a wooden table at the side of the street. He didn't smile, but his blind eyes seemed to tell them that it was okay to approach. Lily felt the same exact unnerving as when she stared into that Lucy lady at Q.Q.S., and for a fleeting moment, even thought that maybe this man was her to get revenge on them.

"How did you know?" Lily spoke quietly, not wanting to raise her voice more than a whisper.

"When you're blind, you tend to know a lot more than you should," was all that the man said.

Hugo blurted out, "How do you get out of here?!" and then clasped his hands over his mouth looking left and right as if someone was going to reach out a hand a cut his tongue out.

The vendor smiled, and gestured his hand over the collection of items he had on his desk. "Maybe if you buy something, I can help you."

Lily glared, already disliking the man, and she was sure that he knew exactly what she was thinking for he said, "Tut tut. None of that. Otherwise you might never make it back to your celebrity father."

"What are you talking about?" Lily asked, but he didn't answer. Taking a few steps forward, she gazed at the items. They were all tainted, or broken in some way. There was a silver cup that had dents in it as if someone took a hammer to it. A mirror encased by gold was cracked and a new one appeared when Lily screamed, looking at her reflection through it. She looked hideous. Evil.

"What about this one?" Hugo asked, pointing towards an amulet.

Lily looked at it and wondered how she could not see that among the pile. It shone beautifully. The thick silver chains wound around each other in an intricate design that resembled a fishtail braid, but seemed to glimmer like a mermaid's tail. In the center was a silver disk that formed some kind of a flower, holding a blue gem in the center. The longer she gazed at it, the more it looked as if it had a heartbeat. A pulse seemed to run through the entire necklace, pumping from the sapphire and through the strands of silver like veins.

"Not for sale!" the vendor shouted, grabbing the necklace as if he could see it and stashing it in his robes.

"Then I don't think we're interested in anything," Hugo spoke finally, making it clear that no business would be made. He grabbed Lily's hand and forced her to walk away, but there was still a hungry look in her eyes, savage almost. She pulled her hand out of Hugo's and ignored his anxious whispers. She snuck up behind the blind man, and reached into his pocket, trying to feel for the amulet. She needed it. It was hers. Nothing could stop her from getting it, not even-

The man turned around in a flash, and held her up against the wall with only one hand clutched around her neck. His breath was hot and rank as he breathed against her face, "What do you think you're doing?"

Lily choked, gasping for breath, tears running freely from her eyes.

"Daddy will save me... He's coming Hugo... He's...coming..." She was losing color, and so it seemed the world around her. Everything was darkening, until the only thing that she could make out was the man's colorless eyes.

Hugo bellowed, somewhere to her left, "LET GO OF MY GIRLFRIEND!" and whacked the man in the back of his knees with a chair.

The man stumbled, only for a moment. He slackened his grip on Lily and she slipped underneath him, feeling through her pockets for the orb. Holding tightly to Hugo's waist, they poked the bubbles and floated up into the sky, over the buildings.

Lily didn't open her eyes. Not when she felt the warmth on her back, or when she heard familiar voices and felt strong arms wrap themselves around her, or when she got home and her mom tucked her safely into bed.

Not until she was alone did Lily open her eyes.

And the first thing she saw was the amulet resting safely on her rising and falling chest.

She fell asleep then, trying to forget the cat that seemed to lead them there, the blonde boy who didn't talk, her friend calling her his girlfriend, the man's hairy knuckles brushing against her soft skin under her chin, his vacant eyes staring into hers as if forcing her to fall into them, and the fact that she never managed to grab the amulet, even though she could feel a heartbeat that wasn't hers against her chest.


End file.
